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Northern India, 17th-18th century. Each panel skillfully carved in the form of an aedicule, with robust pilasters of rectangular section and squat capitals supporting broad entablatures, articulated by fine cornice lines, and a recessed aperture in the form of a polylobed arch centering the composition. All lavishly decorated with intricate floral designs and geometric patterns, two panels including a slender inscribed frieze. (3)
Provenance: Galerie Hardt (established in 1976), Radevormwald, Germany, before 2020. Acquired by the gallery’s founder Peter Hardt (b. 1946) during his extensive travels in Asia, the first of which occurred during a formative world tour in 1973. Throughout his storied career, Peter Kienzle-Hardt organized countless exhibitions and participated in major international art fairs. He made many important contacts during this time and eventually met the Kienzle siblings, who shared his passion for Asian art and culture. A strong bond and deep friendship developed, ultimately leading to the creation of the Museum für Asiatische Kunst decades later in 2014. While the museum’s permanent exhibition predominantly comprised pieces from the Kienzle Family Collection, Peter Kienzle-Hardt supplemented it with objects from his own collection. Before his death in 2019, Horst Kienzle bequeathed his entire property to Peter and legally adopted him as his son, who has been using the name Peter Kienzle-Hardt ever since.
Labels: Galerie Hardt, inscribed ‘Fenster, Marmor, Indien, 17. Jarhhundert’, the back ‘Reg. Nr. 90008, H: 40 B: 33 T: 9 cm’; ‘Reg. Nr. 90108, H: 48, B: 36, T: 10 cm’; and, ‘Reg. Nr. 90208, H: 49 B: 36 T: 9 cm’ respectively, each priced at EUR 9,500.
Condition: Very good condition with expected old wear, manufacturing irregularities, signs of weathering and erosion, small chips and losses, cracks, and few surface scratches. The marble has been carefully cleaned and maintained over the centuries, in keeping with the customary care for this type of structural element.
Weight: 93.4 kg (total)
Dimensions: Height 40.1 (the smallest) and 49.2 cm (the largest)
Chini-khana, translated as ‘china room’ or ‘house of china’, was a name originally given to buildings or chambers during the Timurid era created as a dedicated space for the display of Chinese ceramics. Porcelain, regarded as a prestigious commodity, had been collected, gifted, and displayed at Muslim royal courts since the ninth century. The appreciation for it and other fine Chinese wares increased even more significantly though following the Mongol invasions of the thirteenth century. In response, new methods for storing and presenting these prized objects were developed in courtly settings. The marble panels comprising the present lot were arguably conceived as wall niches within such chambers. For an in-depth study on the development of chini-khana in Mughal architecture, see Mehreen Chida-Razvi, From Function to Form: Chini-khana in Safavid and Mughal Architecture, South Asian Studies, vol. 35, no. 1, 2019, pp. 82-106.
These marble panels derive their form from the jharoka, an architectural element of medieval Indian origin with Arab influences, particularly prominent in Mughal and Rajasthani cultures. Traditionally, a jharoka is an elevated projecting balcony that overhangs the walls of a palace, supported by brackets and topped with a dome or vault. As noted by George Michell, it was from a jharokha that Mughal emperors made their first public appearance each day, allowing their subjects visual contact with their sovereign. In everyday life, the jharoka also served to provide women with the opportunity to observe the street while remaining unseen from outside. See John Burton-Page (ed. George Michell), Indian Islamic Architecture: Forms and Typologies, Sites and Monuments, Leiden and Boston, 2008.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s London, 24 October 2019, lot 147
Price: GBP 10,000 or approx. EUR 16,000 (for one) converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A Mughal red sandstone panel, India, 17th century
Expert remark: Compare the related form and design. Note the different material and size (139.7 cm).
Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Bonhams London, 19 April 2007, lot 387
Price: GBP 4,800 or approx. EUR 11,000 (for one) converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A Mughal red sandstone chini kana panel, India, early 17th century
Expert remark: Compare the related form and design. Note the different material and size (98.5 cm).
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